You Can't Have Everything
by kathmolko
Summary: A Lance/Sabrina romance I wrote last year for Mr. Emerid, and I alsp entered it in his competition, which needless to say, I won!!!! Nice but typical, will Sabrina'a affections fade now Lance has lost his power?


This is an entry for Mr. Emerid's episode 50 competition, in the wedding bells category.   
  
  
You Can't Have Everything  
  
  
He had a Gym, he had a best friend, he had the powers and he had the girl. But you can't have everything, and Lance learnt it the hard way.  
  
  
Sabrina and Lance start the story at a fancy restaurant on Monday evening, instead of the little get-together that Ash and Misty had organized.  
  
  
  
Sabrina gazed into Lance's hazel eyes. They were indeed beautiful the way they were, but Sabrina missed the way they used to be. She had never found the white eyes particularly attractive, but his powers had been.  
As she sat across the dinner table from him her heart filled with memories. The thing that she had first noticed about him had been his extraordinary powers, things that even her father did not understand. While she told herself that she had fallen for his personality and not his powers, she couldn't help but taste the metallic taste of lie in her mouth, cold and unforgiving.  
She still loved him as always, but it seemed the mystery that had drawn her to him was gone.  
She had hated being more powerful than the men she got involved with, just for once she wanted a challenge, something new, something different...  
And then along had come Lance, the striking boy with the dark ponytail and sunglasses who had challenged her to a Gym Match and disconnected her psychic link with Abra.  
"Are you right there, Sabrina?" he asked fondly, waving his hand comically infront of her eyes.  
"Sorry!" she replied "I guess I just got a little spaced out there"  
"A little?" he scoffed, placing his menu down "You were practically in the next galaxy!"  
Sabrina chuckled and brushed her hair out of her eyes light-heartedly.   
"Are you ready to order?" she asked.  
"Whenever you are, ma'am," he said in a ridiculous parody of a British accent.  
Sabrina laughed again. She loved to laugh, that was probably why Haunter meant so much to her. She wasn't his Trainer, but she was his best friend, and as far as she was concerned that meant a lot more.  
"Waiter, over here!" he called, waving his arms.  
"La-ANCE!" Sabrina groaned, covering her face with her hands "This is a restaurant, not a pub!"  
"What's the diff?" he shrugged as he waited.  
"About six hundred dollars a meal. Now keep your arms by your sides"  
"As we approach the Kabutops paddock please keep your arms inside the vehicle" droned Lance in an female-tour-guide voice, keeping his arms frozen stiff on either side of his body.  
The waiter arrived.  
"Vot vill madam and monsieur be dining on tonight?"  
"I'll just have a garden salad, thanks," Sabrina said politely.  
"Ah, I'll have... the marinated Pidgey, thanks," said Lance.  
"And vot vould you like to drink?"  
"What is there?" Lance asked, keeping his hands stiff by his sides.  
"Here, take zis vine menu," offered the waiter, holding it out.  
Lance wiggled his fingers but made no attempt to lift his arms.  
Sabrina twigged immediately what he was up to and quickly covered for him.  
"His arms were paralysed when he was attacked by a vicious Pikachu" she explained, trying hard not to giggle.  
Lance made a crying face and Sabrina snorted loudly.  
The waiter gave each one of them a stern look and put the wine list back under his arm.  
"You two obviously have already had too much to drink."  
And then he left in a huff.  
"You idiot," she giggled "You can move your arms now,"  
Lance made a big sigh and shook them.  
Sabrina laughed again. But how many more times would she laugh? Lance was seriously getting on her nerves, and it was already bad publicity for her as a Gym Leader to be seen with the Parks' Gym Leader. Rumors had already been around, some of them more unpleasant than others.   
She breathed heavily, the happiness and the joy of laughter had faded away, and when she looked into Lance's eyes she saw fear.  
The evening really wasn't going according to plan.  
  
  
  
  
  
When Lance arrived back at the Gym he was already having regrets. He wasn't stupid, and he knew Sabrina was losing interest. He thought perhaps she might be happier if he acted crazy, maybe he could attract her to him again.  
Not that it had worked though, Sabrina was drifting away, and he was powerless against the tide that was carrying her.  
"Monchan? Hitmon? (How did the date go?)" asked Hitmonchan as he greeted his friend, with the Bruisers by his side.  
"Don't ask." Lance sighed heavily.  
"Pwinser. Pwin ser? (That bad, eh?)"  
"I feel like Sabrina and I have nothing in common anymore" explained Lance, taking the overcoat Hitmonchan offered him and walking to the doors.  
"Scyther, scy scyther, scyther. (She was just power-hungry)"  
"SCYTHER!" Lance yelled in anger and shock "Don't speak like that!"  
"Scyther, scy scy (I've said worse)"  
"I know."  
  
  
  
  
Sabrina flopped down on her four-poster, emotionally exhausted. She slowly changed into a long pink nightgown and put her head down on the pillow.  
Lance was acting so different, as though he was struggling to keep her by his side.  
**And it's true** she thought.  
Maybe then it was also true that when he lost his powers he lost something of himself, the something that Sabrina had fallen in love with.  
"Haun? (What's wrong?)" asked Haunter as he entered her room and saw her lying on her bed, close to tears. Maybe he could cheer her up.  
"Everything" she moaned "I think Lance and I are breaking apart"  
Haunter stayed quiet. His antics and sound affects weren't in need here. Sabrina needed reassurance.   
"Haun, Haunter haunt haunt (I'm sure it'll be fine. It's just temporary)"  
"I wish it was," Sabrina said "And I ain't no clairvoyant but I can clearly see the future."  
"Haunter, haunt. (It'll all blow over)"  
"That's what I'm afraid of."  
  
  
  
  
Lance lay awake, trying hard to work things out in his mind. The reason Sabrina had first noticed him was for his powers, and he was sure their initial friendship had been based on their powers as well.  
Had Sabrina lost interest in him because he was a normal guy now? After all she was a world-renowned psychic, and she deserved a lot better.  
At least, a lot better than what he had to give.  
**What the hell am I thinking? ** he asked himself suddenly **Who cares who she is, she doesn't deserve any more or any less than the next person. If she can't handle the fact that I'm an average run of the mill male, than that's her loss. **  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sabrina combined her psychic focus with Mew and soon they were outside Viridian Gym.  
"Lance!" she called "It's Sabrina!"  
Electabuzz answered the door.  
"Lecta. (Lance is busy at the moment)"  
"What did he say, Mew?"  
Lance... is too...busy  
"Tell him this is important,"  
Electabuzz disappeared back inside, returning shortly after.  
"Buzz" he curtly shook his head.  
Sabrina was shocked. There had never been a time that Lance hadn't been prepared to see her, but then, times were changing.  
"Electabuzz? (Can I give him a message?)"  
Do you want to gave, give, Lance a mess-sage? translated Mew.  
"Tell him...I'm very busy and...if I get time I'll call him"  
Then Sabrina led Mew back into the city.  
  
  
  
  
  
Lance sighed when Electabuzz returned.  
"Lecta, electa buzzzz, elec ta ta buzz (She's to busy to see you and if she gets time she'll call.)"  
"SCY-THER! (Mail's in!)"  
Scyther proclaimed as he sped into the room with his mouth full of letters.  
"Monchan, hit monchan! (This one looks fancy!)" said Hitmonchan, tearing the delicate silver envelope out of Scyther's mouth.  
"Hitmonchan...Hitmon, hitmonchan chan chan, hit hitmon (Dear Lance, you are officially invited to the wedding of- OH MY GOD!)"  
  
  
  
  
  
Sabrina half-heartedly tore the silver envelope open.   
"Haun haunter (10 to 1 it's from Lance)" said Haunter as he and Mew hovered over Sabrina's shoulder like Zapdos at a power-plug.  
Ten to wu-unn that is not Mew said, still uncertain with English.  
"Dear Sabrina, blah blah blah- You are officially invited to the wedding of ASHTON KETCHUM AND MISTY WATERFLOWER!"  
"Haunter (I didn't even know they were engaged)"  
"Neither did I! THAT must have been what that party they had the other day must've been- a surprise engagement party! I wish I'd gone!"  
When wedding? asked Mew politely.  
"This Sunday!" Sabrina exclaimed "They move damn fast, don't they!"  
"Haunter, haunt haun (Making up for lost time I 'spose)" provided Haunter.  
"I guess so," said Sabrina sadly "I wonder if Lance'll be there."  
Is he still you boyfriend?  
"I don't know, Mew, I just don't know"  
  
  
  
  
  
Lance looked at the video-phone on his desk. Should he get it together and ring Sabrina? They had never been separated for this long by choice before.  
What if Sabrina wouldn't speak to him? It wasn't like her to hold a grudge, but he had blown her off pretty badly the other day...  
Maybe he should just call the whole relationship off, it was better in living in his she-loves-me-she-loves-me-not state of confusion.  
Then Lance did something he hadn't done in a long time. He began to cry.  
  
  
  
  
  
The Sunday of the wedding   
  
  
The wedding was held in the church garden on a typically beautiful summers day, light playing through the leaves and pale pink roses and creating interesting shadows that danced about the ground.  
Ash was wearing a formal black tux, and looked terribly nervous.  
He greeted all his guests in a very formal fashion and seated them around the altar.  
As he admired the turnover for the event of his life he noted the tension between Lance and Sabrina as they sat together in silence.  
After a minute or so Lance got up and stalked off to another seat and Ash was about to go ask why when the minister motioned for him to take his place at the altar.  
The outside jazz band began to play 'Here Comes the Bride' softly and the limo pulled up.  
Misty stepped out of the limousine looking absolutely stunning, she was wearing the traditional white coloured dress, made entirely from silk, that had wispy bits of white flowing from it elegantly. Several fresh daisies had been fixed into her flowing red hair.  
Ash drew in a sharp breath. Misty looked gorgeous. She smiled lovingly at him and began her slow walk up the aisle with her sisters trailing behind gracefully.  
This was it, Ash's big moment...  
  
  
  
As the minister drew his speech to a close Lance's heart was thumping in his chest.   
"Anyone who sees a reason why these two cannot be joined in matrimony may he speak now,"  
Lance's thoughts rushed out his head and his body tensed.  
"Or forever hold his peace,"  
"I have a reason!" Lance yelled foolishly, rising to his feet. Sabrina covered her face with her hands.   
"Ash and Misty cannot get married until a certain dopey boyfriend apologises to the woman whom he loves the most in the world," Lance declared, facing Sabrina who was having difficulty to handle the situation.  
"And my apology is the most sincere and loving I can give,"  
Lance got down on one knee.  
"Sabrina, will you marry me?"  
  
  
  
Sabrina's heart rate increased by about eighty-percent, and her mind was too numb to respond, so her body took action and to the shock and horror of the celebrant she spoke.  
"No Lance. You can't shut me away then try to make it better like that. That isn't what I want. It's wrong."  
"What do you want then? Do you even know what you want? Was it just my powers? Or were they an added bonus?"  
"I'd be lying if I said no." Sabrina sneered tearfully "They were what attracted me to you in the first place. But I do know what I want."  
"And what is that exactly?" snapped Lance  
"Something unobtainable."  
"What for God's sake!"  
"The past."  
"The past equals my powers. Open and shut case."  
"The past equals the way things were. We didn't have to try back then, we didn't act, we were just us."  
The minister was looking more and more worried by the second. If he wasn't careful there would be a full-scale war on his hands. The bride was already in tears.  
"Maybe you two should, uh, carry this discussion out an, uh, more appropriate times-"  
The feuding couple acted as though they hadn't heard him.  
"Why were we just 'us'? Huh? I think you have taken what you hate about us today and used it as an excuse to create the perfect past for you to live in." screamed Lance.  
Sabrina remained silent. Was Lance telling the truth? Had she just created a perfect past for her own sanctuary? Was she the one who destroyed the relationship by comparing it to the false one in her head?  
Lance was panting with a smug look on his face, Hitmonchan was tugging at his sleeve, trying to get him to sit down.  
Sabrina stood there, crying, her make-up staining her face like ugly, black battle scars.  
"No Lance," she whispered hoarsely. "You're wrong. I don't need a fairy-tale past, and I sure as Hell did not create one, what I need isn't the past after all."  
Lance was worried. Was Sabrina going to call it off forever? Close the deal for good?  
"I need you..." and there, infront of everyone in the crowd, tears streaming down their cheeks Lance and Sabrina embraced eachother as though they would never let go.  
The minister wiped his brow in relief and Misty wiped her tears on Ash's shirt front.  
"Now," the minister said, adjusting his collar "I think you may now kiss the bride!"  
As Ash and Misty kissed, Lance and Sabrina sat together, smiling.  
"Let's never fight again," smiled Sabrina.  
"And what if we do?"  
"I'll kill you," she said simply.  
"And if we don't?" suggested Lance coyly.  
"Maybe then I will marry you after all..."  
  
  
  
  
  
THE END...  
  
Well that was a happy ending. No-one lost a limb, and no-one died. I really am getting soft in my old age.  
OK, OK I've been 13 since I started on this site but well...  
  
Anyway this is dedicated to Chani, Shadowcat, Casper and Mr. Emerid. Thanks for all your support and all that.  
  
Oh yeah about my comedy. Cooking up a storm was a spur of the moment thing. I don't plan to set a future in comedy, just when I get in one of my hyper moods.  
  
  
And as for whether Lance'n'Sabrina will get married, read the TOTALLY AWESOME Lance's Pokemon Saga! (Even if it never mentions the word marriage it's a totally groovy series and if you haven't read it, read it NOW! No Mr. Emerid did NOT put me up to this, I did it of my own accord)  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
